Cursed and Bound Together
by Anna Maxwell
Summary: Weiß and Schwartz are summoned to Egypt with the promise of 20 million dollars each- if they complete the mission. Together. So together they must face two powerful psychics, Aya's new mysterious gift, and Yohji and Schuldig's penchant for finding troubl
1. The Deal Is Made

Title: Cursed And Bound Together 

**Authors: Anna Maxwell and Chase Yuy**

**Rating: PG-13 for mild language and violence**

**Disclaimer: Weiß and all corresponding characters belong to Project Weiß and Koyasu Takehito. (We love you, Takehito-sama!!) Julia, Adrian, and Daniel Sushiko belong to Anna Maxwell, the girl belongs jointly to A.M. and Chase Yuy. **

**Author's notes: This story stems from the insanity that came about from Chase and I not writing for almost two months. 0_0!! Yeah…it's crazy, but isn't everything we do? I apologize for those of you who may be waiting for the 'If I Am Gifted Sequel' (especially BraidlessBaka!! I was supposed to have this out like five months ago!! ;_;) I'm currently writing an interlude between IIAG, and it's sequel. It's been pretty hairy around my household, but I apologize. This story is in the process of being written, expect a chapter every day for at least the next five days, and every couple of days after that. Enjoy! **

/indicates thoughts/telepathic communication/ Chapter One: The Deal Is Made 

The lights were off and everything was dark. Schuldig walked right up beside his American friend. "So is this where Julia said to meet her?"

 "No, I brought you here to kill you and hide the body. Of course this is where she said to meet." Crawford said quietly. He was tense, and had been since Julia had called him this morning. Brad knew the woman well, and he knew she wasn't telling him something. Julia hiding things made him extremely nervous, especially since he hadn't had any visions.  
  


 "Something's not right, Braddy. I can't feel anyone here. It's like.... some sort of fog around my mind... Maybe we should have brought the chibi and Farf after all."  
 

"Adrian is messing with our mental capabilities." Brad said, stepping forward.   
  
  


"And here I thought you didn't have mental capabilities to mess with." A sarcastic voice said from the darkness.  
  


Julia sighed. She knew bringing the four of them together was going to be problematic, much less the eight. "Yohji, you aren't helping." She said flatly. "And I swear, if any of you kills the other, I'll kill them, got it?"   
  


 Schuldig's gold eyes narrowed and a dark smile crossed his pale features. /Hello kittens./  
  


 "Schuldig." Julia growled. "Don't. I've brought you here under the understanding that while you are in my presence there will be no bloodshed, unless I'm the one doing it. Cross me and perish. I've also brought you here with an offer, God help me, that will require your two groups to work together."   
 

"Over my dead body," the German growled, but was cut off by the cool headed leader of Schwarz.  
 

"This had better be good, Julia." Brad said passively. The lights flickered on, revealing Julia seated at the head of a meeting table with Yohji and Aya standing to the right of it, and Brad and Schuldig to the left. "Have a seat, gentlemen, and I'll explain."   
   
  


 Schuldig shifted uncomfortably. "So why couldn't I feel your minds when I walked in?"  
   
   
            "I was controlling that. You would have done something irrational if you had simply sensed them in an empty warehouse." Adrian answered, leaning on Julia's chair.

She smiled. "Like I said, have a seat. This has to be decided quickly, or I'll have to get someone else for the job."   
 

After Brad sat down, the German telepath followed, still eyeing the "kittens." Aya sat across from the leader of Schwartz, and Yohji sat across from the German. All of them watched each other carefully. 

Julia rapped her nails on the desk for a moment. "Would I be mistaken if I said that the offer of twenty million dollars -each- was appealing to the four of you?"   
   
 

Schuldig's eyes went wide. "EACH?!" he choked out.  
  


 "Each. And that's each as in all eight of you."  
   
  


 "I'm listening," Schuldig said with a grin.  
   
  


 Aya and Yohji exchanged glances, both thinking how long that amount of money would support Aya-chan's hospital bills. "So are we." Aya said finally.   
  


Julia nodded with a faint smile. "Good. Your target is Daniel Sushiko. He's murdered a total of twenty-three people in his career as a for hire assassin. Originally he was as Weiß, only out to rid the world of the underworld beasts. However, recently he has taken to killing decent, innocent people. He is gifted. He is telekinetic and telepathic. He has been known to work with a young woman. This woman has never been seen and she has no known name. Both are extremely dangerous. They have fled to Egypt. Sushiko has heritage there. We believe he's gone back to take over what he believes is his family fortune." Julia said.   
   
  


 The German telepath's eyes narrowed. "Did he go to Rosenkreuz?"  
   
  


 "We believe both of them did, yes."   
   
  


 Schuldig slouched down in his chair. "I wonder....." he muttered.  
   
  
 "You wonder what?" Brad asked the German.   
   
  


"I knew a telepath by that name when I was younger......"   
  
   
            Julia frowned. "Before or during Rosenkreuz?"   
 

 "During, before you showed up..."  
 

"Was he there while I was?"  
 

"Yeah... I think so. Most people don't get out at age fifteen or sixteen....."  
 

"I hate to interject, but why do you need us for this?" Yohji asked. "None of Weiß has these psychic gifts."  
 

"Yeah... that does make them more useless than usual," the German said with a grin.  
 

"But Yohji's statement isn't quite true." Julia said. "He just doesn't know it. I need the gifts of one, and where the one goes, the others will follow. Besides, Sushiko has many connections. He won't be expecting us to send eight assassins after him. Safety in numbers, you know."   
 

"They'll slow us down," the German growled.  
   
  


 "No, they'll help you find the target." Julia snapped. "You and Brad are extremely talented, but so is Daniel. The gift this one in Weiß has is the only way you can find him and the girl."   
   
  


 Schuldig glared at her for a moment. "And how do we know to trust them, hmm?" he growled back.  
   
  


 "How do we know to trust you?" Aya shot back. "We have less of a reason than you do."   
  


Julia stared at all of them. "You'll simply have to agree to act like adults for the duration of this mission."  
 

"They're mostly kids anyway," Schuldig half yelled, standing up.   
   
  


 "I'm as old as you are!" Yohji growled, also standing. "And Omi's older than your brat anyway." 

Both Aya and Crawford put a hand on their respective teammates arms and barked, "Sit down!" at the same time.  
 

Schuldig refused stubbornly. "Lot more mature than your kid!" he growled. "All that we'll get from working with you is shot in the back, literally!"  
 

"This isn't something for you to decide, Schuldig. Sit down." Crawford warned, glaring at the German.

Aya got a firm grip on Yohji's wrist and pulled down. "Yohji, enough."  
  


Julia silently watched the interplay between the two teams.  
 

"How can you just agree to all this?!" the telepath demanded, still refusing to take his seat.  
 

Yohji conceded to Aya's demand and sat, glowering at the German.   
  


Brad glared at him. "I haven't agreed to anything, and you're being unreasonable. Now sit down, damn it." He snapped.  
 

"I am not being unreasonable!"  
 

Brad gave him a final glare and turned away from him to face Aya.

"Twenty million dollars is a lot of money." He said finally.  
  


Aya nodded. "Yes, it is."  
  


"It would go a long way for Schwartz."  
  


"It would go a long way for Weiß."   
  


"Do you think we could come to some sort of arrangement? Temporarily at least? It would be for the greater good of both our teams." Brad said.  
  


Aya nodded. "It would."  
 

Schuldig nearly face-faulted. "You must be kidding...." he stammered as he sank down into his chair, hand to his now aching head.  
  


 "If you can guarantee that Weiß would not attack Schwartz for the duration of this mission, I'll guarantee the same of Schwartz." Brad said finally.  
  


Aya nodded. "Agreed. We'll work together for this mission." He turned to Yohji, who shrugged.

"Fine by me."  
  


Brad turned and looked at Schuldig.  
   
  


 "I can guarantee I won't have a little fun....."  
  
  


 "Schuldig..."  
 

A wide grin spread across the German's face. "Yes, Braddy?"  
 

Brad turned back to Aya. "He'll behave." He stretched his hand across the table. Aya reached out and grasped it, and the alliance was made between Weiß and Schwartz.   
 

Schuldig stood again, his chair flipping back as he did so. He muttered several words in his native language as he started for the door.  
 

Julia stood as well. "Inform your teams. You'll be leaving for Cairo on Friday. Today is Wednesday. This gives you two days to prepare. Bring all the ammo you can." She smiled. "You won't be stopped at the airport, I promise. Brad, make sure Schuldig doesn't do anything irrational..."  
 

Brad nodded and then strode out, catching up with the smaller man.  
  


"I can't believe you did that," Schuldig mumbled.  
 

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't have."  
 

"Because they'll shoot us in the back, just like I said."  
 

"No they won't. They want to get paid. If we kill each other, we don't get paid. We're talking about twenty million dollars, Schuldig. That would appease everyone. Except you, apparently."   
 

The German frowned. "I have a bad feeling, that's all....."  
 

"All right. So Kudoh shoots you in the back. I shoot Kudoh through the heart. Fujimiya slices me in half. Nagi strangles Fujimiya to death. Hidika kills Nagi. Farfarello kills either Hidika or Tsukiyono, which leaves two. They kill each other off. All that leaves us is dead. I think rich out bids death this time."   
   
  


 Schuldig chuckled slightly. "Yeah... I guess...."  
 

Yohji and Aya watched them drive away. The slightly taller man sighed and looked at his leader. "Are you sure about this?"  
 

"For Aya-chan, I would do anything," the redhead responded without hesitation.  
  


 "Right." Yohji said with a slight smile. Like he was expecting Aya to say anything different. "But I swear, if that German weasel breathes wrong I'll have him strung up so fast he'll never know what hit him." he muttered.  
   
  


 Aya shook his head. "I'd gladly let you do it if it weren't for the prize at the end. Kill him after we're done."  
  
   
            "Yeah, yeah. By then we'll have camaraderie between the eight of us." Yohji grumbled. "What if he toys with you?"  
 

"I'm sure Julia-san can handle him. If not, I think Adrian-san will. Schuldig looked slightly uncomfortable around him."  
 

"Well fine, since you're the high and mighty leader." Yohji said. "But I have a bad feeling about this. What did Julia mean anyway, when she said one of us is gifted?"  
 

"I don't know....." /But I wish I did.../  
   
  


 "Huh. Well, let's go break the news to Omi and Ken. We've officially become the assassin Brady Bunch."


	2. Bound for Cairo

Author's Notes: I apologize for the randomness in the formatting of the last chapter. I had cut and pasted the document from a .txt to a .htm and it messed it up… Gomen! Also, if you don't know who Julia and Adrian are, they were two characters introduced in If I Am Gifted. Timeline wise, this would be set after the first series, but before Gluhen, or as if Gluhen didn't exist. (Crawford looks like Treize from GW!! *dies*) Also, the length of the chapters will be determined by how much we write in a session, sometimes we get sidetracked. ^^;;  Enjoy! Chapter Two: Bound for Cairo 

Two days later, the two opposite groups stood facing each other. Yohji and Schuldig seemed to be having a glaring contest, Aya and Crawford each had a careful, yet neutral eye on the other team. Farfarello was too busy licking his knives to care, and Ken was keeping a _very_ close eye on the madman. Nagi and Omi seemed the most comfortable around each other. 

Julia leaned against the pillar in the airport, Adrian by her side. The two groups hadn't noticed them yet. 

Adrian shook his head. "You think this will actually work?" 

Julia nodded. "We have them at a stalemate. All of them want to be paid, and they all know that if one of them slips and injures another, all of them are dead. Of course, we may have to try to prevent that...." 

Adrian lifted an eyebrow. "Leave it to you to work it all out. I trust you," he said with a small smile. 

"I'm glad. We've only been partners how long?" She teased. Their flight number was called and the couple stepped forward into the groups. "All right, gentlemen. I thought it best since this is a very long flight that I should do the seating. I really don't want you dead before we even get there." she announced. 

A small smirk crossed Schuldig's pale features. "There are things worse than death, ne, Julia?" he asked with a slightly evil smile.

She glared at the younger man. "Don't make me separate you from Crawford..."

"Then he couldn't keep me from doing what I want."

"No, but I'd put you next to Adrian." 

The German paled slightly. "That's quite all right....." 

"All right, Yohji you're by the window, Aya next to him, Brad then Schuldig. On the other side I want Ken, Omi, Nagi, then Farfarello. Got that?" 

"Where are both of you going to sit?" Schuldig asked, hoping the tall Asian man wasn't going to be right behind him, watching his every move.

"Right behind you, watching your every move." Adrian said with a smirk. 

"Eh.... is that necissary....?"

"Yes." Julia, Adrian, and Brad echoed. 

"Demo...."

Julia took the inside seat, and Adrian sat on the isle seat directly behind Schuldig. "Behave and you have no reason to fear me." he said.

"Even if I DO behave I feel like you're breathing down my neck....."

Adrian titled his seat back and closed his eyes. "It's your imagination."   
Schuldig's shoulders sagged. "Why do I doubt that?" he muttered.

Julia gazed down the row of eight assassins. Yohji was drumming his fingers on the arm of the seat, and staring out the window, obviously not thrilled with the arrangement. Aya was flipping through a brochure that had been in the seat in front of him, determined to go through with it. Brad was watching Schuldig, not liking the expression on the German's face. Schuldig was plotting something, Julia was sure. Ken had leaned his seat back and was trying to sleep. Nagi and Omi were already chatting it up, and Farfarello had found a plastic knife to keep him happy. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Schuldig leaned his chair back, wondering silently how far it would go back and how little leg space it must give the man behind him. /Not bothering you, am I Adrian?/ he asked, not really caring.

Adrian swiftly kicked the back of Schuldig's chair, making the German jerk forward slightly. /Not at all./

Brad rolled his eyes. /You're both broadcasting, and acting like children./ 

Schuldig shoved his chair back a bit further. "Nah we're not, Braddy," he said with a grin.

The plane took off, on it's way to Cairo, Egypt. Julia shook her head at the irony of the situation. All of them put together were ten of the most dangerous people in the world. Julia frowned. /She's close./ she thought distantly. 

 /Who's close?/ the German telepath's voice popped into her head.

Julia cursed loudly in her mind. "It's none of your business." she grumbled. /Nosy German./ 

Schuldig grinned back at her. "Nosy? Me?"

 "Hai, nosy you. You were born a cat, Schuldig. Curiosity up the wazoo." 

The German grinned again. "Nah, just bored."

"Bug Brad, then. He looks lonely." 

"Nah, he'll get mad."

"Better him than me..." 

"But I never get to see you!"

 "Schuldig, what are you up to?" 

"What do you mean? I told you I'm just bored. I hate plane flights."

"Why do you hate planes so much, anyway?" 

 "They're boring," the German said with a slight frown. 

"My Lord, Schuldig, you're how old and you can't find a decent way to entertain yourself?" Julia asked dryly. 

Yohji tore his gaze away from the window to look at Aya who had leaned forward. The Weiß leader had suddenly gotten a lot more pale than normal. Yohji put a hand on his back. "Ayan? Daijoubu?" 

Schuldig's golden eyes flickered over to the other redhead. "Aww... did the kitten get plane sick?" he purred.

Yohji's eyes narrowed to slits. "I should have known you'd..."

Aya cut him off by grabbing the brunet's arm. "It's not him." he rasped. 

Schuldig's face suddenly became serious. "Rosenkreuz..." he breathed. Everyone that came out of the hell on earth had a distinct presence to them. A presence Schuldig was almost frightened to pick up on.

Julia and Adrian's heads shot up, and Brad looked up as well. "He's right." The young woman murmured. She glanced at Aya. /And he knew it first. I thought so./ Adrian nodded. "But it's not Sushiko. It's the girl." 

Schuldig shivered slightly. "What is she?"

"Bad news. Her gifts have never been identified, but we assume..." Adrian started.

"She has telepathy and empathy." Aya said quietly. "Among many other things." 

"Kind of like Geheim was, ne?" Schuldig asked with a humorless smile.

"She's more lethal than he was." Adrian said flatly.

"I can't believe that."

Yohji stared at Aya. "How did you know that?" he asked. 

"I don't. I don't know," the swordsman whispered.

"We called them heartseers in Rosenkreuz." Julia said quietly. "There weren't many of them, and all of them were corrupted nearly as soon as they got there." 

Schuldig's eyes widened. "Him.....? Are you kidding?"

"No." Julia said. "Heartseers have the ability to look at a person and instantly know the heart motives of that person. Whether they are good or evil. It's kept him from making several wrong kills on missions. There's something else, too. With training, heartseers can also instantly know what -or who- that person holds closest to them." 

Aya stared at her for a moment, finally regaining his composure and returning to his natural colour. 

He tried to keep that composure as he felt everyone staring at him, mostly with their mouths partially open. "What?" he snapped. 

A small smile appeared on Schuldig's lips. /How does it feel to find out you're one of us, ne, kitten?/

Aya turned steel cold violet eyes on him. "No matter what...ability... I have, I will never be one of you." he said softly and dangerously. 

 /You'd be surprised,/ the German countered. /I used to be as innocent as your little blond boy over there. Things change when you have to fight to keep yourself sane from your "gift"/

"Not everyone looses control." Nagi said quietly from the other side of the isle. 

"Telekinesis doesn't affect the brain to badly, last I checked."

"He's not a telepath." Nagi countered. "Heartseeing is based on empathy. You're the only one who'd make him crazy." 

"And why's that?" the telepath snapped.

"Because you make everybody crazy!" 

Schuldig grinned. "True."

Omi grinned. "Well, I think it's cool, Aya-kun. You'll be able to pick them out of any crowd." 

/I've seen one of your kind before,/ Schuldig's voice echoed in his mind. /They didn't turn out too well..../

"Yoh-" Julia started, half standing, but she was too late. Yohji had nearly jumped over both Aya and Brad and was proceeding to strangle the German by the collar of his shirt.

"If you don't shut the hell up I swear I will kill you right here on this plane." He growled.

Julia smacked Adrian on the arm. "Look what you've done by channeling!" she exclaimed. 

Schuldig grinned. "Go ahead and try, but I'll be forced to retaliate....."

Aya and Brad blinked at their struggling companions. "Did you see that coming?" Aya asked. 

"Nope." Brad said. 

Aya reached over and grabbed the sleeve of Yohji's jacket. "Yohji, stop. He's not worth it." He coaxed, not wanting Schuldig to resort to mental attacks. 

Schuldig smirked. "Aren't I?" he shrugged. "Doesn't look like the flight attendants even notice our presence, much less your outburst."

Yohji allowed Aya to pull him back to his seat, still glowering at the German. "Enough." Julia sighed.

"Schuldig, leave Aya alone. Talk to him telepathically again on this plane ride and I'll sick Adrian on you. Yohji, stay away from Schuldig, please?" 

"Why do you always use that threat...?" the telepath whimpered.

 "Because it's the one that works." 

/But he hates me,/ Schuldig said telepathically.

 /He does not. He just wants you to act your age./ 

 /I do!/

 /Then what am I going to do for fun?/

Julia reached over and whacked him over the head. "I'm not your entertainment box, Schuldig! Sleep, read, read the minds of other passengers, watch the movie, do something normal!"

"Right. Whatever." Julia grumbled, settling back in her seat. THey had bigger things to worry about than Schuldig's mind entertainment. 

Yohji squeezed his way out into the isle and began walking towards the back. Schuldig gave a satisfied smirk as he sunk down in his seat to sleep.

Aya turned to look over his shoulder. "Where is he going?"

"Bathroom." Julia answered, picking up her book.

Aya nodded as he turned his eyes out the window.


	3. Reaching Egypt With A Bang

            **Author's notes: ANGST!!!! …… Just thought I'd throw you a small warning. ^^; Mood swings affect the fiction, people. Anyhoo…some of the usual dry humor is still there, but quite a bit of angst in this chapter. Thanks so much for reviewing!! We love you!! *big hugs* Enjoy. **

**            Chapter Three: Reaching Egypt With a Bang **

Most of the group had either dozed off or was reading thirty minutes later. Aya shifted and woke up because of the uncomfortable position of his neck. He glanced around and realized that Yohji hadn't come back to his seat. Julia looked up when she heard Aya move. 

The redhead looked back at her. "He's been gone a long time." he murmured, standing. 

Julia waved him down and put her book in Adrian's lap. "I'll go see. I have to go anyway." She made her way to the back. 

Schuldig stirred awake and looked back. "Where's Julia?" he asked groggily.

"She went to the restroom and to see if she can find Yohji." Aya answered distantly, still looking towards the back. He had a really bad feeling. 

Julia knocked twice on the bathroom door. "Yohji?" she asked tentatively. She'd glanced around second class to see if he'd just needed some space, but he hadn't been there. She couldn't sense his presence, either. She knocked again and the door swung open an inch or so. Fear gripped her as she pushed the door open the rest of the way. 

Julia's scream had Adrian, Brad, Schuldig, and Aya on their feet in a split second. Aya's bad feeling had just multiplied by hundreds. 

Julia was backed against the opposite side of the plane with her hand over her mouth. Yohji was seated on the floor, his back to the sink, blood dripping down his face. There was a single bullet wound to the side of his head, as if he'd been shot while washing his hands. One thing was for certain; he was very dead. 

"Oh, God." Julia breathed. 

 Schuldig cursed under his breath. "Well this certainly isn't getting off to a good start," he muttered.

Aya grabbed the doorframe and began shaking as soon as he saw his partner. "Yohji? Oh, God, no. Yohji?" He knelt by the older assassin and grabbed his shoulders. "Yohji?" 

"He's dead," Schuldig mumbled. "They're quick to work, ne?"

Aya slowly pulled Yohji against him, cradling his head against his chest. He looked up at Julia with a totally stunned expression before his composure started to slip and he leaned his face against the brown hair. 

Brad and Julia were automatically scanning all the passengers with little success. The young woman looked up at her lover. "Adrian," she whispered. "We may be in over our heads all ready."  

"I knew I had a bad feeling about all this," the German mumbled. His eyes darted around the room.

"There it is again... Someone's here from hell."  
 Omi and Ken crowded in with them. "Yohji-kun!" Omi gasped. 

"Oh, Yohji..." Ken murmured.   
"We're sitting ducks on this plane." Adrian muttered. Julia nodded, her heart breaking with the anguish radiating off the leader of Weiß. 

Schuldig grabbed Brad's arm. "Do you feel that?" 

Brad was about to respond when a light exploded through the area, blinding all of them momentarily before fading away. 

The German opened one eye, checking to see if the light was gone. "What the hell... "  
The light had vanished, leaving the group squinting and trying to refocus.   
"Damn..." Adrian growled. "Why didn't I see that coming?"

Julia grabbed his arm. "Adrian... look at his temple!" 

Adrian looked at the fallen assassin's wounded temple and let out an exclamation. The bullet wound had disappeared, leaving only a minimal cut. 

Yohji's eyes flooded with life and inhaled shakily before groaning. "Aya?"   
            Aya's eyes were wide as he grasped onto his teammate, shaking slightly. "You were dead," he whispered. 

"Oh...man...I think I wish I were.... headache...What happened?" Yohji paused, as he looked up, wide-eyed at Aya's tearstained face. "What do you mean dead?" 

"He means no heartbeat, no breathing kind of dead," Schuldig deadpanned sarcastically.

Yohji grabbed onto Aya with both hands to keep himself from being sick. "How...who? How am I alive, then?" he managed. 

Schuldig burst out laughing at the panic and received a glare from Aya. /You're dead, Kudoh.... All of us are. Did we forget to tell you?/

"Stop that!" Aya yelled, still hearing Adrian's broadcast.

Schuldig continued to laugh and Aya started to move to get at him, but Yohji held on to him. 

"Please don't leave me on the floor..." he murmured. 

Aya relaxed and then smirked as an idea hit him. He had a gift; he may as well utilize it. "You won't always be laughing, Schuldig. I see people's hearts remember? I see whom you hold dearest. You won't be laughing when he's ripped away from you." 

Schuldig smirked slightly. "You've been hanging' around Adrian when I wasn't paying any attention, ne? That's always his trick to shut me up." 

"Adrian wouldn't do it. I would." 

/You wouldn't lay a finger on him, because you know that if you tried, he'd see it. And if he didn't, you'd watch your precious teammates die slowly, and then I'd pull your sister's plug, and then I might have the decency to kill you and put you out of your misery,/ the telepath said behind thick walls that no one else could hear.

"Enough." Julia barked. "The point of all this is that Sushiko knows we're coming. He's also made it very clear that he could kill any of us at any time. This has become a game, and if we don't play it right we'll all wind up dead. We land in an hour, thank God, let's try to keep everyone alive until then." 

Schuldig's eyes were icy as he continued to glare at Aya, apparently not having heard Julia or outright ignoring her.

Aya glared back and tightened his hold on Yohji ever so slightly, as if to protect him from whatever evil Schuldig might produce simply by standing there. 

Julia sighed. "Brad, you mind controlling your German?" 

Schuldig smirked slightly. /Just leave him alone ,ne?/ he whispered mentally. /Or I'll make sure I go through with my threat./

Aya made no response as Schuldig flipped his hair over his shoulder and made his way back to his seat. Brad followed him, shaking his head ever so slightly. Ken and Omi moved to let Aya help Yohji up and out of the cramped space. 

On their secure line, Adrian nudged Julia. /Schuldig just made Brad a target. If Sushiko was paying attention to that little discourse, he'll note the dissention between those two. The worst thing that could happen now was if this girl got to Brad./ he said. 

Julia nodded. /What was it we said years ago? Brad keeps him stable.... I'd hate to see what would happen if that were taken from him./

/But I think it's become the same with Aya and Yohji. If Yohji were killed -and stayed dead- he would be a formidable opponent for Schuldig./ Adrian mused. 

/It wouldn't be Schu's fault./

/If we don't watch him it might be. He's making me nervous./ 

/Schuldig always made you nervous, Adrian./

/Don't get defensive with me, Jules. You know he's impulsive./

/He's older now. Give him SOME credit, ne?/

Adrian abruptly cut the link and headed back towards their seats. They only had to make it for forty-five more minutes, and then they could split them up in the hotel.

Schuldig had moved to the seat closes to the window by the time everyone returned and was entertaining himself by staring out the window.... well... as entertaining as that can be for a telepath.

Brad sat next to him, and Aya placed Yohji between himself and the leader of Schwartz, where he figured the brunet would be safest. It was understood between the two leaders that the animosity between the groups was now mostly business, except in the case of Schuldig. Aya eyed the German carefully before turning his attention to treating the cut that still adorned Yohji's temple. 

Schuldig yawned, stretched, and then laid his seat back to sleep again. He laid it back right into Adrian. Again. "Do you always insist on sitting right behind me?" the German grumbled.

"No. God put me here." 

"My foot He did..."

The rest of the trip passed in tense silence, until the plane landed. Now they faced the madness of the airport, and finding all of their luggage. 

/Remind me,/ Schuldig's voice echoed in Brad's mind, /that lack of sleep, people trying to kill you, and loud crowds are a perfect mixture for a head ache, ne?/ 

"Tell me about it." Brad murmured. Large crowds were no place for people with special mental abilities. Way too much overflow. Even Aya looked slightly overwhelmed. 

"Look at this place!" Omi exclaimed. "It's amazing!"

Nagi nodded his agreement. "Too bad we're here on business...."

"Hey, with the money we're getting, we'll be able to afford a vacation afterwards." Yohji said, pushing his sunglasses onto the bridge of his nose.

"Not if we're dead," Schuldig muttered, for once serious.

"Been there, done that, I suppose I should find a t-shirt." Yohji replied.

 "Hmm... And maybe the rest of us should get 'we see dead people' t-shirts."

"Yeah, that would be cool." 

Schuldig laughed. "Ne.... I feel kind of out of place here," he muttered, looking at his pale skin and touching his wild red hair. 

"Hai..." Julia murmured, brushing a lock of her white hair behind her ears. "Well, I fit in." Brad said with a smug look. 

"Just keep telling yourself that, Braddy," Schuldig answered with a grin.

"Don't mind if I do." Brad said, a little ruffled. "There's the baggage claim!" Omi announced. 

The group gathered their belongings and headed out toward the exit.

"We're staying at the most prominent hotel in downtown Cairo, so every one behave. We don't want to be deported." Julia said as they hailed three taxis. 

"Us? Misbehave?" Schuldig feigned innocence.

"See you there!" Julia said as they split by teams into the three taxis.

After they reached the hotel and Julia had begun to check in Nagi made his way up to her. "Julia-san?"

"Hai, Nagi-kun?" She asked with a smile. One couldn't help loving the kid. 

"I was thinking.... Would it be better to put Omi-san and I in the same room so that we might be able to do the computer work together more efficiently?"

"Nagi, darling, in a world of grown-ups gone wacko you are my saving grace. That would definitely be wise. I'll arrange it." 

The normally stoic boy smiled slightly and bowed politely. "Domo arigato, Julia-san."

"Doutashimashte." /So that puts Nagi and Omi in the same room, Brad and Schuldig, Aya and Yohji, so what to do with Farfarello?/ she mused.

 /He can always be leashed outside to a tree...../ Schuldig's thoughts invaded her mind.

 /Oh, yes. Wouldn't the citizens of Cairo love that? An Irish madman loosed in Egypt by Japanese, German, and American idiots./

 /I am not a part of that,/ Brad said over the Schwarz link.

/He's your goonie, you darn well are a part of it./ Julia shot back. /I suppose Ken can room with me and I'll put Adrian with Farfarello./ 

"You're going a night without Adrian?!" Schuldig asked, faking astonishment and saying it rather loudly.

"Farfarello? Get him." 

Schuldig used his speed to run away... and ran right smack-dab into Adrian.

 "Julia, you can't be serious," Adrian said, looking at her over the German plastered to his jacket.

"Yeah.... you have trouble being around ME and saying that I'm hurting myself...... What are you going to do around 'must have knife so I can continue my cutting habits' boy?"

"Adrian, other than Nagi you're the only one who could handle it if he...flipped or something. And since Nagi is rooming with Omi...." 

"Let Schuldig handle him. They're about on the same level."

"Hey..." the German growled. 

 "But what would I do with Brad?" 

"See? You're stuck with the psycho," Schuldig said smugly.

Adrian sighed. He was in the doghouse for something, to have Julia doing this to him. 

 Schuldig stretched. "Well, I'm ready to go to bed."

 "I think that's a good idea. We could all use the rest." Adrian agreed. 

Everyone split into different groups and headed to their rooms.

Brad Crawford woke later that night to hear Schuldig tossing and turning in the bed across the room.

The German telepath was whimpering slightly.

He pushed back the covers and sat on the edge of his bed. "Schuldig?" He called softly. 

The only response that came was a slight whimper.

Brad moved to sit on the side of Schuldig's bed and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder. "Schu?"

The German shot up, a scream escaping as he did so.

Brad jumped nearly a foot in the air, the scream taking him by surprise. He moved in front of Schuldig and grabbed his arms. "Schuldig!" 

The telepath struggled for a moment, seemingly unaware of who was grabbing him.

"Schu, hey, easy, easy. Schuldig? It's me, Schu. Look at me." Brad coaxed.

Schuldig turned frightened gold eyes toward the older man. "Brad....?"

Brad gave him a half smile while trying to bring his own heartbeat down. "Hey." 

The German shivered and clung to the precog like his life depended on it. "I never wanted to see that again," he whispered. "I never wanted to see him again..... Not even in a dream."

Brad realized whom the telepath was dreaming about and sighed. He hugged Schuldig to him and gently stroked his hair. "He's dead. It's been over for a long time." 

Schuldig shuddered, vivid images of the nightmare in his head. "Why now...? Why is he haunting me now?" 

"It's probably Sushiko, rehashing the past." Brad answered. He hadn't dreamed of that time in ages, but he could remember it like it was yesterday. 

"Sushiko knew him," the German whispered. "He was Geheim's pet to do whatever Geheim wanted." His voice was low and dark, but his eyes were empty and haunted looking.

Brad's gaze hardened. "I know." he murmured. He held the telepath closer. "I know." 

A tear found its way down the pale face. "Damn him.... Over and over again. I just want him to leave me alone...."

The American sighed pressed his face against the top of Schuldig's head. "I wish I could take it from you." 

Schuldig's eyes suddenly darted around the room. "Someone's here..."

Brad moved one arm and grabbed the gun out of the waistband of his pants. /You're right./ 

/Did you see something?/

/Ah./

Schuldig shivered again. /Brad....../ The German's breath was coming in short gulps and he clung tighter to his American friend. 

Brad's eyes darted around the room and he clutched Schuldig to him. /I'm here./ 

The telepath suddenly slumped against him, eyes sliding shut.

/Schu? Schuldig!/ Brad called mentally, shaking the German. /Julia! We have problems!/ he shouted over their link. "Schu, come on, look at me." 

A small groan escaped from the telepath, but nothing more.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded of the room, and of whoever was doing this. 

A childish giggle floated through the room as the only response.

Brad frowned. "Hello?" he called. "Who are you?" A child?

"Aww... is he hurt?" the voice echoed.

"What's your name?" 

"Why do you care?"

"Why are you doing this?" 

"Why not?"

"You're hurting him." 

"Oh.... So sorry." Schuldig shifted slightly and groaned. The giggle came again. "I meant to kill him."

Blue eyes widened. "Why? Who told you to do this?" 

"Who says I have to be told?"

"You wouldn't even know who we were if Daniel hadn't sent you. You're the one that attacked the man on the plane, aren't you?"

"Oh? You mean the assassin sent to kill us?"

"You killed him and then revived him. I've met people like you. You have the ability to kill and then bring back to life, on your whims. Why are you doing this to Schuldig?" 

"Because I'm bored."

 "Why don't you play with Daniel?" 

"Oh, but I love Daniel. I wouldn't hurt him." The giggle came again. "He's gone, you know?"

Brad immediately looked down at the still German in his arms. Too still..."Schuldig?" he breathed.

The American found no pulse, no breath. His face was paler than usual, even in the dark light.

 He felt his own heart skip a beat. "Schu?" he whispered, trying to elicit some reaction from him. He looked up at the girl. "Don't do this...don't...please..." 

"Doshite?"

"I need him..." 

"Pathetic."

"I love him." 

"Love..." the girl whispered. "I could always kill him again," she said lowly. 

Schuldig tensed suddenly, letting out a long breath. "Brad....?"

The girl was gone in a blinking of the eye, but Brad wasn't watching anyway. His whole body sagged and he tightly embraced the German. "Schuldig..." 

The German shuddered. "Let's not do that again."

Brad let out a half laugh half sob as twin tears fell down his face. "No, let's not." 

"I'm tired," the German whispered.

"Me too." Brad replied softly. 

"Is she gone?"

 "Yes." 

Schuldig laid his head down on the pillow. "Will I dream again?"

Brad laid down next to him. "No. Not tonight." 

The German nodded.

Brad held him and placed shields around his mind. That had been too close. Way to close.

/Do you really care about me, Brad?/ the tired voice echoed in his head.

He kissed the back of Schuldig's head. /I do./ 

/Danke./

/Always./ 

Nagi Naoe stretched and yawned in front of his computer screen. "Blasted thing," he mumbled.

"What's the matter?" Omi asked, looking up from his laptop.

"Nothing. It's just taking a while the dial up system...."

"Ah. Aya-kun got me a laptop with DSL for Christmas last year. Thought I'd died and gone to computer heaven." 

"My computer at home has it, but I couldn't bring it on my laptop. Should have anyway."

"It's a two-sided sword. KenKen's always getting onto me for being up until all hours of the morning while I'm still in school." 

"Really? If Crawford thinks I'm overworking he just walks in, shuts it down and walks out without a word."

Omi laughed. "Seriously? No, if Ken ever did that I'd stick darts in awkward places, and he knows it."

"Brad... Crawford... well... I know he cares, so I just let him do it. He won't ever admit it openly of course. Not in front of anyone else standing around."

"Aya's like that. You know he cares, especially with how many times he's dragged Yohji in when he got drunk off his rocker. But he'd never say anything either." 

"Brad saved Schu and me from Rosenkreuz. I... We both owe him our lives."

"That must have been hard for you, growing up there." 

"I didn't.... not as much as Schu did."

"Is that why he's so bitter sometimes?" 

"Schuldig? Yes...."

"And that's why he's so attached to Crawford." Omi concluded. 

"Yes. Crawford was the only one that could save him from Geh.... I'm talking too much..."

"I'm not going to tell anyone. It's okay, if you feel like talking." 

"There was a headmaster at Rosenkreuz that was known for finding the weaker ones to.... torture... Mentally, physically... it didn't matter. Schu got that honor. I was foolish enough not to see what was going on and I even...."

"What?" Omi asked gently. 

"I helped Geheim and nearly killed Schuldig. But Crawford took me away from Rosenkreuz and they gave me a home."

Omi nodded. "I understand...Sometimes I wonder..." 

"Hmm?"

 "I wonder what I would have been like if my father would have paid my ransom. But I don't wonder long. I would have been a victim of Aya's 'Takatori...SHI NE!" he said, imitating Aya's fury look as he said it. He scrunched up his nose. "I don't think one of my goals is being shishkabobed by Aya-kun." 

Nagi laughed, and then looked surprised by his own action. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have Brad and Schu. And I know Schu wouldn't be here if not for Brad.... and Adrian to keep him from overdosing..."

"Yeah. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Aya, Yohji, and Ken. Yohji wouldn't be here without Aya. I guess in both our cases, everyone needs each other, huh?" 

"Yes.... But I suppose everyone needs someone, ne?"

"I suppose then, we're fairly lucky after all." 

Nagi smiled. "Yes, I suppose we are."

Aya was torn between staring at the ceiling and staring at Yohji breathing. The brunet assassin wasn't sleeping, but he was breathing, and that's all Aya cared about at the moment. Aya kept a hand on his gun underneath his pillow, trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling in his chest. 

Something had happened and he was sure of it. He just wasn't sure of WHAT had happened.

"Aya? You awake?" Yohji finally asked quietly. 

 "Yes...."

 "She shot me, didn't she? I remember it now." 

 "Yes."

 "I remember thinking how pissed off you were going to be at me for getting killed so early in the mission." Yohji said with a dry tone in his voice. 

 Aya sighed. "That wouldn't be the term I'd use...."

 Yohji turned his head to look at Aya in the dark. "What term would you use?" 

 "Scared to death."

 That wasn't what Yohji was expecting to hear, of all things. "Scared?" he echoed softly. 

 "Yes..."

 "Doshite?" 

 "Because you're my best friend and I'd die without you!"

 Yohji stared at him in the darkness, green eyes wide. He'd considered them friends, and he'd lay down his life for Aya without thought because he'd sworn to protect the younger man. He hadn't thought...

 "I've lost too many people," Aya whispered. "I will_ not _loose you too."

 Yohji closed his eyes and smiled. "Arigato...It's nice to know I'm alive." 

 Aya smiled in the darkness. "Stay that way."

 "Can we sightsee?" Yohji asked a few minutes later. "I've never seen the Sphinx..." 

 "Sphinx, huh? That could be fun."

 "Cool." 

 "Get some sleep, Yotan. You'll probably need it if we're playing the part of tourists."

 "Night, Ayan." 

 "Night."

**Author's notes 2: All right, before some of you flip and ask why we didn't warn you this was a shounen-ai fic, it's because this _isn't _a shounen-ai fic. All fluff is meant platonically, but I suppose you can view it as you like it. ^^; But it was _meant _platonically. Thanks! ******


	4. Identity, Icy Americans, and the Trainin...

            **Author's Notes: Well, so I haven't got one up every day, but I think I'm getting it up every other day, which is pretty good. Gomen. ^^; Thanks again so much to everyone for reviewing! Enjoy.**

**            Chapter Four: Identity, Icy Americans, and the Training of Aya **

Morning dawned waking the ten unlikely teammates, no matter how much or little sleep they had gotten the night before. Ken had been up long before the sun and was showered and dressed before Julia even got out of bed. She waved to him on her way to the bathroom. 

"Not sleep well, KenKen?" she asked.

"I doubt anyone did with this guy running about," the former soccer player said.

"You sure you're okay?" 

He nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?'

Something was bothering him, and Julia knew it. She shrugged. "No reason. I"ll be out in about fifteen minutes." 

Twenty minutes later she walked out to see Adrain leaning against the wall. "The boy is more isane that Schuldig."

"I could have told you that." 

"Then why did I have to room with him?"

"Because I'm more able to feel out our enemies without having to deal with his conflicting emotions."

"Ah.... You owe me. Big time."

"You'll get yours, don't worry." 

Schuldig slipped out of the door a ways down and shut it quietly behind him. "Yo!" he greeted.

"Yo." Julia greeted. "How'd you sleep?" 

"Considering someone tried to kill me, not well at all," he said with a slight frown.

"What?! I had my monitors up all night! What happened?" Julia demanded. 

"Keep it down," Schuldig hissed. "Brad's still sleeping."

"What happened?" Julia demanded in a whisper.

"She.... she killed me," the German whispered, shivering slightly.

"Oh my..."Julia gasped. 

Adrian shook his head. "Are you both all right now?" 

"I think so."

"We have to do this quickly. Somebody's going to die and not come back." Adrian murmured. 

Schuldig shivered again. "It was a child, if that helps any."

"A child?" Adrian asked incredulously. 

Julia shook her head. "Chi. It doesn't surprise me. Children are the easiest to corrupt." 

"She had an amazing power. I couldn't break it."

"Brad must have." 

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't in a possition to be able to tell," the telepath muttered.

 "Seeing how you're standing here now, it's plausible." Adrian said. 

"I guess." Schuldig grinned. "I wouldn's suggest you trying it though."

Adrian shot him a look. 

Julia glanced down the hall. "I think he's up. I should talk to him." 

Schuldig started to follow behind her. 

Julia stopped him. "Let me speak to him alone first, ne?" 

"Doshite?"

"Humor me." 

Schuldig grumbled as he leaned against the wall. /And this... would leave me alone with Adrain...."/

/Go find Nagi and Omi, see if they found anything./ Julia suggested as she knocked on Brad and Schuldig's door.   
  
  


"Come in." she heard him call.

She shut the door behind her and assessed the emotions coming of him. 

Nothing. 

Absolutely nothing, which couldn't be good. "I heard about last night." She said cautiously. There we go, she thought, fear, loss, and then the rage she knew she'd find. 

"Where's Schuldig?"

"In Nagi and Omi's room." 

"He's all right, isn't he?"

"Other than being a little shaken, yeah. I suppose being dead would do that to a person." She said. "What happened, Bradley?" she asked.

Brad turned masked frightened blue eyes toward her, but did not answer.

"Come on, Brad. We're family, ne? Talk to me." 

"I......" he stumbled over his words. "It was a child. A girl. She laughed when he went limp. He was so cold, Julia...."

"Hey, hey. It's okay now. You saved him. He's alive. A child? Did you see what she looked like?" 

"No."

"Did you notice anything else about her?" Julia asked, placing a hand on his back. 

"She seemed.... amused that he was dead," the precog said distantly. 

"Why did she let him go?" 

"I begged her... I'm not really sure."

"She has to have a weak point." 

Brad stopped. "She said that she loved Daniel...."

Julia as the pieces fell into place. "All right. That's a start." She rubbed his arm. "Maybe if we corner Sushiko, we can draw her out without putting more people in danger." 

Outside, Schuldig shifted from his place where he had slid down the wall while waiting. "How long is she going to take in there?" he growled.

Julia sighed and checked her watch. "Do you know, Schuldig is the most impatient person I've ever met? At any rate, time to see if Yohji and Aya are up. Time to train Aya's heart senses." 

Schuldig looked up at her when she came out. "Why did he never know about his gift before, anyway? And why didn't we sense it?"

"Many people have dormant gifts that they are never aware of. Sometimes gifts are awakened by different events in people's life. The tragedy in Aya's awakened his, but he didn't know how to control. Since it wasn't a persistent gift, like telepathy or precognitive, he wasn't aware. As for why you didn't sense it, I don't know." 

"Maybe you're starting to slip, Schuldig," Adrian said with a small smile

The telepath glared.

"Or maybe he had someone protecting him." Julia mused. 

Schuldig shrugged. "Who knows. Can I go see Brad?"

"Hai. Make sure you both get ready, we'll leave as soon as possible." 

Schuldig nodded, stood, and disappeared into the room.

Brad came out of the bathroom when he heard the door open and shut again. He was wearing his usual cream-colored dress pants, but his blue shirt was only partly buttoned. 

"'Morning," he greeted.

Brad looked at him with cold, haunted eyes. "Morning." He murmured. 

Schuldig sprawled out on the bed, yawning. "So where are we suppose to start?" he asked, ignoring the look on the elder man's face.

"We'll follow Julia's lead. I may have to give Aya a few pointers." 

"Wonderful. We have to babysit the kittens."

"He needs to be trained. Not babysat." 

/And he's back to his usual self.../ the German thought sourerly. /Didn't think it would last./

Brad finished buttoning his shirt and tied his tie. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

Schuldig grabbed his sunglasses off the nightstand and followed. "What's your rush?"

"The sooner we get back to Tokyo the better." 

Schuldig grinned. "What? You miss the place?"

The American whirled on him, eyes flashing. "Business is business. We must finish this." 

Schuldig stopped suddenly, almost stumbling. "I was just kidding, Braddy."

"Save your joking for the kids, would you?" Brad said, leaving the room. 

Schuldig stood, wide-eyed. "Bastard...." he grumbled as he regained his composure and walked out.

Julia blinked as Brad stormed out of the hotel room and near blew the hall apart simply by walking. He was a powerful man when he was angry. "What got in his pants?" she muttered. 

"He's just be himself," Schuldig said with a shrug.

"No...there's something..." Julia said. She smiled. "AYA!!! MOVE IT!!" she bellowed. 

 Schuldig chuckled. /Aww... Is the little kitten too tired to wake up?/

"Bite me, hair boy." Aya growled, coming out of his room, followed by Yohji who grinned. 

 "I'll sick Farf after you to do that."

Yohji smirked. "Can't do your own dirty work, ne?" 

"Don't wanna stoop that low."

"Way too late for that." Yohji said.

Schuldig just smirked.

"All right you guys, let's move. We can grab breakfast and then take to the streets." Julia said. 

Schuldig followed close behind Brad as they moved out. /What's up with you this morning?/

His thoughts were lightly bounced back at him so as not to give him a headache, but it was the only reply he got.

/Are you ignoring me?/

/If he answered, it would ruin his point, wouldn't it?/ Adrian called. 

/And exactly WHAT is his point?/

Adrian secured their link. /He's distancing himself from you./

/Why the hell would he do that?!/ the German demanded.

/The reality of loosing you has come to him full force. That's something he hasn't faced in a long time. He doesn't want to be hurt./

 /And how do you know this, O Wise One?/

/Because I've done the same thing, only with someone else obviously. It isn't the best thing to do. I lost her for good.../ 

Schuldig nodded, not knowing quite what else he could do about it/

 /There isn't anything you can do about it, except hope that one of you doesn't die./

 /No kidding? How's that different from normal?/

/This would be more painful./

 /Yeah, I guess, but since when have you cared?/

/Of course I care. Why would I not?/

Schuldig shot him a look. /Oh I wouldn't know...../ he said sarcastically.

"Boys, hurry it up, ne?" Julia called back to them.

"We're coming, we're coming," the German grumbled.

They were all seated at cafe tables outdoors thirty minutes later. The remains of breakfast were on the table in front of them. 

"Brad, you know this, don't you? Can you tell him what to do?" Julia asked, sipping her coffee. 

 "Yes."

 "Well then..." Julia prompted. 

Brad pushed his plate away and he and Aya faced each other. "This isn't terribly different from clairvoyancy. Clear your heart and your head from everything. Let nothing remain. Then slowly, open it back up. Search...and you will find your target." 

Aya blinked. "That seems increadibly easier said than done."

"All right. Think of the focus you use when you practice the katana. Use that same focus, only direct it differently." 

Aya nodded, and closed his eyes, reopening them only half way.

Everyone watched carefully as his breathing slowed and evened out. 

Things were whirling around him so fast, Aya couldn't get his bearings at first. So many people with so many different things attached to them. He could see everything everyone around him loved, and at first it frightened him. He tried stretching out. He reached, and was knocked back into reality as he locked onto what he was looking for. 

Violet eyes opened widely as he gasped for breath.

Yohji touched his arm. 

Brad nodded. "You found him." 

"Found him?" Aya repeated.

"You saw Sushiko, correct?" 

"Hai…."

"That means you have him. Focus again and follow the heart call. You'll find his location." 

Aya nodded slowly, closing his eyes again. There was so much termoil that he could barely lock on.  
 He felt hands on his shoulders, grounding him. His eyes flew open with a spark and he pointed south. "The pyramids. They're hiding in the pyramids." 

"And the kitten might come in handy afterall," Schuldig said with a grin.

Aya looked at him. "You'd be surprised what I can do." 

The grin stayed. "Do some good and you'll get what you came for."

 "Stay out of my way and I'll say the same for you." 

"So are we taking a trip to the pyrimids?" the German asked.

"Yes." Julia said, clicking a fresh round into her silver pistol. "We are." 

It took a while to get down to the pyrimids, and by the time they did they were mostly hot, thirsty, and on their last nerves.

"Naturally they picked one a hundred miles from the nearest tourist shop." Julia grumbled, wiping her bangs off her forehead for the millionth time. 

"It's that one there." Aya said finally, pointing to a close peak.

"You better be right, kitten, for as much trouble as it's been to come out here," the German telepath growled.

"Call me kitten again and I'll bury you with King Tut." Aya snarled. 

/Kitten, kitten, kitten./

Aya had his katana unsheathed and against Schuldig's neck before any of them could blink. "I warned you..." 

Schuldig just chuckled. /You're far too easy./

Brad put a hand on Aya's shoulder. "We have more important things to do." He said, walking into the anchient structure.

"Then keep your telepath under control," the swordsman growled.

"He isn't my telepath. Let's move on." 

Schuldig watched Crawford move into the old pryimid and couldn't help but feel a small stab of hurt. 

All of them watched the German stalk away, his whole demeanor changing. 

Aya stared after them. "He's wrong." he murmured. 

Yohji looked at him. "What do you mean?" 

"It's what I see when I look at them." Aya replied. 

"I see the two of them...in each other." 

Yohji cocked an eyebrow. "Just like us, ne?"

 Aya paused for a moment before looking up at his green-eyed companion and smiled. "Yeah. Like us."   
   
  



	5. Into the Lion's Den

            **Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay of this chapter, guys. Some things can't be helped. Gomen nasai. Enjoy!**

**            Chapter Five: Into the Lion's Den **

They all followed the clairvoyant leader of Schwarz down the winding tunnel. 

/Will he be in here?/ Schuldig whispered through the Schwarz link.

/Yes.../ Brad answered, upholstering his weapon. 

/Anything we should watch for?/

/I don't know yet./

/When WILL you know?/

The ten entered a large chamber to face a menacing looking man sitting on a golden throne. "So, you came. It's been a while, Julia, Schuldig." 

"Not long enough, for my own liking," Schuldig muttered.

"Aww, that wasn't nice. It's nice to see you alive. I was surprised to hear my pet had let you go." 

Schuldig let a small smile appear on his lips. "She'll regret doing so soon enough."

Daniel Sushiko shrugged. "She can take care of herself. You can't hurt her." He turned cold, grey eyes on the tallest assassin of Weiß. "I heard you had an encounter as well." 

"Real pretty girl, but not my type, actually," Yohji said nonchalantly. 

Sushiko smirked. "I like that. A sense of humor." He held out his hand and a black haired girl stepped out and took it. Her black eyes glittered with amusement and malice. Sushiko smiled. "This is Kuroyuri. My angel." 

"If she's from Rosenkreuz, she's no angel," Schuldig assured him.

"I wouldn't insult her. She's very vengeful." 

Schuldig shrugged. "It's not an insult, only the truth. Angels don't come out of the deepest pits of hell."

"Black ones do." Kuroyuri said softly. A soft blue light began to glow around her. "I have business to finish, don't I, Daniel?" 

"Indeed you do," he agreed.

She gathered the light in her hands. "Die!" she exclaimed, letting it go. 

"Aya!" Yohji cried. He shoved his leader to the side, the orb ripping through his arm. 

Kuroyuri laughed. "Daniel, would you mind?"

It was chaos in an instant. Schuldig found himself rooted to the spot as the place was flooded with henchmen, dressed to everyone's mild surprise, as mummies. 

All at once, all shields fell. He felt the world spin. /Brad....?/

"Schuldig!" he heard the cry. The American had a mind splitting vision as he laid out one of the people they were fighting. Kuroyuri was gathering energy again. "Schuldig!" 

The telepath sank to the ground, holding his head in a numbing pain. No, not numbing. Numbing would be welcome. This was paralyzing. He couldn't move, but he could feel. He could feel the intense pain that he had near to forgotten accompanied absolutely no shielding.

"Damn it! Schuldig!" Brad cried. He wasn't going to reach him in time. 

"Ken!" Omi screamed suddenly. "Watch out!"

Kuroyuri released her orb just as Brad slammed into Schuldig, throwing the German well out of range of the hit. Brad felt his body being lifted off the ground before feeling himself slammed into the far wall. He fell to the ground in a heap, blood staining his jacket. 

Schuldig's eyes widened. "Nein.... Brad......BRAD!"

Ken whirled at Omi's outcry. "Omi?" he questioned. He gasped as a sharp pain overtook his body, and he sank to his knees, a man behind him driving his dagger further into the former J-League player. 

"KEN!" 

"Omi-kun! Move!" Nagi yelled out, throwing one of the advancing men back with his Gift.

Omi was heedless to the young boy's warning as he plunged darts into Ken's attacker. He fell to his knees and cradled Ken against him. "Ken?" 

Ken groaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Daijoubu, Omi-kun."

Omi ran his fingers over the wound in Ken's side. "You'll be all right..."

Kuroyuri smirked. "I got one." 

Daniel nodded and clapped twice. All the 'mummies' vanished within seconds. 

Schuldig struggled to his knees and made his way to where Brad was lying motionless. "Brad? Please," he whispered in German. "Please, Brad...."

Adrian helped Julia up from where she had fallen earlier and they watched Schuldig try to wake the unresponsive American. 

Kuroyuri laughed. "Oh, silly. He isn't dead. Yet." 

/Don't kill him..... Please..../

"Too late. He has four days before he dies." 

/What did you do?/

"It's a nice little trick Daniel taught me. Some people can kill instantly. Some people can make a hit that kills slowly. I can do both." 

Schuldig's golden eyes flashed widely. "Don't you dare kill him. Reverse it!"

"I can't. It's irreversible." 

"I don't believe you," the telepath growled.

"Believe it." Sushiko said. "It's like one of your mental attacks. It cannot be reversed." 

"Nein.... You can bring people back, though. So you can bring him back!"

"Because I can't bring people back unless they're dead." Kuroyuri said with a smile. "So, unless you want to risk killing him yourself and then begging me to bring him back, there's nothing I can do." 

Schuldig used his speed and was at her in less than a second, a gun to her head. "You WILL save him. One way or another," he growled out. 

She laughed. "And what good is killing me going to do?" she challenged. "He'll die if you kill me."

Brad groaned and forced himself to sit up. 

An evil glint entered her eye. "Kill him and I'll bring him back." 

Schuldig's golden orbs narrowed. "I don't believe you."

She shrugged. "What are you going to do? Kill me and he dies." 

The German looked back at his leader.

Brad stood, and straightened his jacket. "It would seem that I am in an undesirable position either way."

/It's your call./

"Whatever you wish to do, Schuldig. It would seem that I would die no matter what. It would be fitting if you decided how." 

/I can't kill you, Brad.../

"Well, then I suppose we wait for the end." 

/Demo.... If I don't...../

His dark blue eyes flickered past him to rest on something behind the German. He smiled and nodded.

"I will." The shot rang out. 

Brad kept his smile as he slumped forward, dead.

Aya looked up at Yohji in semi-shock. 

Schuldig fought back the panic. "Now bring him back," he growled at the girl.

Kuroyuri laughed. "I lied." She and Sushiko vanished from sight. 

"Nein...." Schuldig whispered. "Nein......" He fell as his knees gave out on him and sat on the cold ground, eyes blank. He mumbled several things over and over in his native language.

/It wasn't enough...you said.../Adrian called to Julia over their link. Julia wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on Brad's body as she stumbled forward. 

Nagi shook slightly, but then pulled himself together and walked over to the telepath. "Schuldig?"

"Well that didn't go as planned." Yohji stated, lowering his weapon. 

"You don't say..." Omi muttered, helping Ken over towards the group.

Schuldig shivered slightly, golden eyes still a dull color.

"Schu?" Nagi whispered.

"I think he's gone into shock." Ken rasped, sitting heavily against part of the wall. "One time there were three of us headed back from a soccer game. We got into a wreck, the driver died. The other passenger kind of spaced at first, and then went cold. Shut down from the inside, I guess. They were good friends." 

"But they were okay, right?" Nagi asked.

"Yeah...but I don't think even they had the kind of bond that those two do.... did..." Ken said, trailing off.

Nagi turned his half desperate gaze toward Julia and Adrian. "Julia-san...? Help him... Onegai?"

"Julia...you can't..." Adrian said, watching his lover kneel between where Brad was lying and where Schuldig was sitting. 

"Something has to be done," she whispered.

"There has to be another way." 

"No."

Julia closed her eyes and stretched out her right palm. A strange, pale light began to emanate from with in her, and wind swirled around her. Both Schuldig and Brad began to glow as well, and the German felt an odd tugging at his insides, like someone was pulling at his heart. The light and the wind became stronger until there was a sudden flash, and all fell still. Julia swayed and collapsed. 

"Julia!" Adrian leapt forward to catch her before she hit the ground.

Aya looked confused for a moment. "He's alive..." he said finally. 

Schuldig stirred and blinked, eyes returning to their normal shade. "Brad.... Brad!" he called, sitting up from where he had fallen and shaking his friend.

The clairvoyant groaned and attempted to roll over, not making it very far. 

The German telepath nearly glomped him. "You're alive!"

"Obviously..." 

"You were dead just a minute ago...."

"Gotcha." 

"Excuse me....?" Schuldig managed. 

"Never mind." He ran a hand over his chest, pausing when he came to the bullet hole in his shirt. He glanced up at Yohji. "You're a good shot." 

The Weiß assassin smirked. "I know.

"How... did she do that?" Omi managed, staring in disbelief.

"Do you remember the flash of light just before Yohji was brought back to life?" Adrian asked quietly.

Omi nodded.

"Julia has the ability to do that too, only it drains her. The last time she did it she was comatose for a week." 

"You should probably take her back to the hotel. It won't be safe for her like that."

"We should all go back. They won't return here, now that we've found it. Everyone has injuries that need to be tended too." Adrian said. 

Crawford seemed to think about this for a moment, and then nod. "That would be best."

Julia stirred. /I'm sorry, Brad./ she whispered. 

/For what? You just saved my life./

/All I did was buy you time. I couldn't reverse her attack./ 

/Don't worry about it. All you need to do right now is rest./

/We'll find a way, Brad. I promise./ Julia said before drifting off again.   
  



	6. The Bark and the Bite

**Author's Notes: Wai…I didn't forget about this series, or any of the others, I'm afraid that fanfic fell on my list of priorities. However, now that I have some free time, I'm getting back to editing and finishing up some of the fics posted. Enjoy. **

**Chapter Six: The Bark and the Bite**

Everyone was quiet on the way back from the pyramids. Even Schuldig and Yohji kept their tempers down.

Omi turned out to be the most effective at bandaging wounds, even if the rest of them had done it a hundred times. Stuff he'd learned on the Internet, they didn't doubt. The young Weiß assassin had checked over the majority of them, except for Yohji who had politely turned down his offer, and had proceeded to shoo Nagi and Ken into his room to bandage the both of them up. Ken's needed to be disinfected first, and then Nagi's shoulder. /When did that happen?/ Omi mentally chided himself for not noticing the younger boy's wound earlier. 

Schuldig hadn't left Brad's side since they had come from the pyramids. They hadn't spoken, at least not that the rest of them could hear, but they remained side by side.

Brad stood at the window, staring out at Cairo after Schuldig had finally conceded to taking a shower. The German had wrapped his ribs for him, since being shot did tend to make one sore. /Four days. What am I going to do with four days?/ he wondered absently. /I don't even think Schuldig could spend twenty million in four days. And that's if we got paid tonight./ 

He heard the bathroom door open and the steam came pouring out, followed by Schuldig stepping out with jeans and a tank top on. The telepath covered up a yawn. /How do you feel?/

/I don't' know./ Brad replied honestly. 

Schuldig looked away. He felt responsible, even if the clairvoyant would probably tell him he wasn't. If he had better control over his shields, he could have kept those two from throwing the attack at him.

Brad continued to stare at the busy city. He wasn't angry, wasn't afraid, wasn't sad that he was going to die. He supposed that it was a fitting end to someone who had committed so many sins in his lifetime. Schuldig...Schuldig was the only reason he lived anyway. /What am I going to do?/ he asked himself softly. 

/Make it through this?/ the telepath whispered into his mind.

Somehow, that looked highly doubtful to the American. /Ah./ 

/That or take me with you./

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the glass. That had been the only thing wrong about being dead. He'd been alone. And yet, he could never ask that of Schuldig. He'd fought so hard over the years to keep Schuldig alive, to keep the German with him and now...

/I don't want to live if you die.... so don't worry about that,/ the telepath continued. /So, if for some reason you find out that there's no way you're going to make it...../

/Why?/ he questioned. /Why wouldn't you go on without me?/

/Because you're the only reason I'm alive anyway. I hate life, Brad. I only deal with it because you help./

Brad shivered, not really knowing why. /Four days./ 

/I guess that's four days we have to help, ne?/

/I wish you wouldn't. I know you won't listen to me, but if I die, I wish you wouldn't follow me./ 

/Sorry, Braddy, but I'm selfish./

Brad grinned faintly. /That you are./ 

Schuldig grinned openly. 

/Suki da./ 

Nagi sighed outside the door. He'd heard most of the conversation over the link that he shared with the two. 

"It's bad, huh?" Omi asked, seeing the look on his face. He ducked his head sheepishly. "I was going to get ice, and couldn't help noticing your expression." 

Nagi nodded. "It's not good... demo.... Those two have made it through a lot. I think they'll find a way to make it through this."

Omi nodded. "I hope so. They're not so bad, once you get to know them." 

Nagi nodded and smiled slightly. "I don't want to loose them.... they're the only family I've really known. Schuldig would follow Crawford, no matter where he went."

"That's dedication." Omi said softly.

"That's Brad and Schu. They've been like that as long as I've known them."

"If there's anything I can do, you'll let me know, right?" Omi asked. 

Nagi nodded, obviously thinking. "I need files about that girl and her powers. There will be something on her, I know it. Even if it's not classified as one thing or another, there will be notes or something if she went through Rosenkreuz." A ghost of a smile fell over the Japanese teen's face. "I can get into the documents, but I'll need someone else to speed up the process of looking around....."

"Absolutely." Omi grinned. "Let's get started." 

Yohji grimaced as he peeled his jacket off his right arm. "No way to save that coat." He grumbled absently. Next came the shirt, and Yohji silently cursed himself for liking tight leather. It was definitely not paying off. He stared morosely his bloodied arm and sighed. /Um, hey Julia? I hate to bother you, but I've got a tiny question.../ 

/And what would that be?/ she replied slightly distantly.

/Do you have to be directly hit by one of those orb thingies to get the four days, or would a glancing blow do it?/

/Excuse me?/ Julia asked, her attention now fully on Yohji. 

/I kind of knocked Aya out of the way, and it kind of ripped through my right arm. I don't want to alarm him, if that's at all possible.../ 

/Come over here. We'll have a look at you./

/Just answer me, Julia. I don't want to be patronized./ 

/It might. I'm... not entirely sure. Just come over here, Yohji, please?/

Yohji sighed again. That would require getting around Aya. /Fine./ 

The link was cut and Julia sat back on the bed. "We've got more trouble," she murmured.

Adrian looked up from his suitcase. "What kind of trouble?" 

"Yohji was hit."

Adrian groaned. "Where?" 

"Arm. He's coming over here now."

Yohji wiped as much of the blood off his arm as he could with a damp washcloth before hesitantly pulling the bathroom door open. 

Aya was lying on the bed, half asleep. Maybe, just maybe, he could make his way out without disturbing the redhead...

The brunet assassin had one hand on the doorknob when Aya mumbled his name. Yohji held his breath, and Aya rolled over. He was half relieved, and half disappointed. However, there were more pressing things to be concerned about. He vanished down the hall. 

Two violet orbs blinked open. "Yotan?"

Aya could instantly sense that he was alone. He stood, heart beat rising slightly, and walked towards the door. As he reached for the handle, he looked into the bathroom and saw the bloodstained washcloth. He flung open the door. "Yotan?!" 

Julia stood and made her way over to the door. "Hello, Yohji.

"I didn't even knock.....

"The wonders of having a precog in the room," she answered as she motioned back towards Adrian. "Come on in."

The door shut behind him just in time to cut off Aya's slightly frantic call. 

Yohji glanced at her and held out his right arm for inspection. "Anou?" 

"You've lost a bit of blood, haven't you?" she muttered as she checked over it.

"If that's the worst of it, I'll be grateful." 

Adrian tilted his head. "I think you've alarmed your partner." 

"He's panicking out there," Julia added.

"Oh, Lord," Yohji breathed. "I thought he was asleep..." He yanked the hotel door open. "Ayan?" he called. 

Aya's eyes were wide as he caught sight of him. "Yotan?" the redhead whispered.

Yohji smiled softly. "Hey..." 

"There was blood in the bathroom... Yohji... what...?"

Yohji waved his uninjured hand in a motion of unconcern. "I just got a scratch, and Julia was kind enough to look at it for me. You were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you. It's fine though, right Julia?" The look he gave her told her not to say otherwise.

Julia smiled demurely. "Of course. Everything's fine. Just keep it wrapped so it doesn't get infected." 

Yohji nodded. "Will do. Thanks." He led Aya down the hall and back to the room that they shared. 

Julia sighed as she watched them go. 

/The boy's not okay, is he?/ Adrian's voice rang in her head. 

/I don't know. All the cases I've seen had hits near the heart. Yohji's right arm was hit. He'll still have the side effects, but we'll just have to wait and see for the result./ Julia answered. 

/He could be dead before we find out./

/Damn it I know that. But there's nothing we can do either way. You and I both know that the girl has to die for Brad to survive. To kill the girl we have to kill Sushiko, and that's not going to be easy. We have a little less than four days. All we can do is fight or wait./

/Schuldig will do something stupid if we wait./

Julia sweatdropped. /I somehow doubt it. He knows...he knows Brad is dying. He won't leave him now, no matter what./ 

Adrian smiled slightly as he cupped his lover's face in his hands. "Do you see the future?" he whispered

/You know I'm not a precog./

/That's my point,/ he answered. 

Julia suddenly pulled back and violently slapped him. "Damn you, don't you patronize me, Tomeda Adrian." She snarled. "If you know everything then why don't you go kill them all by yourself?" she demanded. "It's not like you ever needed me around to help you anyway." She said with finality, storming out of the hotel room.  

Adrian frowned and growled a curse under his breath. He debated momentarily whether or not he should go after her, but his concern out ruled his anger.

Adrian glared slightly, but followed. "Jules!" he called out.

Aya leaned against the doorjamb of the bathroom and watched Yohji try to wrap his shoulder. The brunet was sitting on the edge of the bed, not having a very successful go of getting the bandage to actually stay on his shoulder. He might have actually gotten on if he had been focusing on it, but his mind was a million miles away. Aya stepped towards him and sat next to him on the bed. He gently pried the first aid kit out of Yohji's hands. 

"Let me." He said quietly.

Yohji looked at him, mildly surprised, but allowed him to take over the job.

They were silent as Aya disinfected the cut and wrapped it. When he was finished, he slipped the kit under the bed. Violet eyes slid shut and Aya rested his forehead against Yohji's shoulder blade. 

"She was lying, wasn't she?" he whispered. 

"Eh?" Yohji responded halfheartedly. "Not as far as she told me...."

Aya cursed mentally. He could feel it on her, on Adrian. They had lied....

"Ayan?" Yohji asked, bringing the younger man out of his thoughts. "Diajoubu ka?"

Aya looked up at him with fierce eyes. "Don't lie to me. I could never forgive it." 

Yohji sighed and brushed his thumb against Aya's cheek. "I just don't know, Ayan. Julia didn't know. As usual with me, nobody knows. But hey, it's me. I could survive anything short of nuclear holocaust." 

Aya grinned faintly. "And you be one to try." His expression turned serious. "But if you're sick…" 

"I'm not. Everything's going to be fine. Trust me." 

Aya nodded slowly. 

"Julia!" Adrian called out again as he grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her so she was facing him.

Emerald eyes flashed as she jerked her arm out his grasp. "What?" she snapped.

Something akin to hurt flashed through Adrian's dark eyes. "Jules.... I was warning you. That's it."

"Well then warn Schuldig, if he's the one you had a vision about." 

"I thought you might have wanted to know what was going on."

"Schuldig doing stupid isn't knowing what's going on, it's knowing his daily routine." 

"Then I won't let you in on it next time," Adrian growled. "Don't expect me to be quite as protective over him, though. If he wants to go get himself killed, it's his business. I thought you might have wanted a say in it, though."

"I am so sick of your self-righteous, all-knowing attitude...." Julia started to say, but was cut off when the air was robbed from her lungs. She gasped and grabbed the wall for support. 

"Julia?" Adrian called to her. He hadn't seen this..... what was this? "Jules?"

She looked up at him, eyes wide with pain and fear. "Adrian?" she whispered. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed. 

"Julia! You...." he growled, knowing the girl could hear him. "Let her go!"

Kuroyuri sighed from her place down the hall and toyed with a strand of her black hair. "On my word, this isn't my doing. I wasn't here for her." 

"Then leave her alone."

"Aren't you listening? I'm not doing this." 

"Then who the hell is?!"

She shrugged. "How should I know? Perhaps...yes, that's it." 

"What?"

"You said that the last time Julia used her healing powers she was comatose for a week?" 

"What of it?"

"Well, she would have been fine except that with people like Julia and I, overexertion is a killer. Her heart rate went through the roof during your little tiff and -bam- her body couldn't take it." She walked over and patted him on the cheek. "You're bad for her health, dear." She moved past him. 

"You can save her though, can't you?" he growled out.

Kuroyuri let out a short laugh. "You're kidding, right?" 

"I'll do whatever you ask."

That sparked her interest. "Really?" she purred. 

"You heard me."

"Very well. Daniel and I are building a puzzle. It's missing a piece. If you promise to get it for me, I'll heal her." 

"I said anything, didn't I?"

"Give me your word as a man of honor." 

"You have it."

She smiled widely. "Wonderful. This piece gives off an energy pulse. Neither Daniel nor I can attune to it, so we can't find it. But I can attune you to it. You have two days, Tomeda Adrian." She snapped her fingers and Julia sucked in a ragged breath and blinked several times. Kuroyuri vanished. Her other target could wait. 

Adrian dropped down next to Julia, pulling her close. "Jules?"

/I'm sorry.../ She whispered mentally, trying to get her bearings. 

/I am too.../

/What happened?/

/Nothing that you need to worry about, Jules./ He scooped her up. /Just rest./

/I didn't mean the things I said.../ 

/I know. Don't worry about it. Everything's going to be all right./

/I love you, Adrian./ She said, falling asleep against his shoulder.

/I love you too..... and I'm sorry...../

Aya fussed a bit more with the wrap job he had done on Yohji's arm, but finally he finished and gave Yohji's arm a gentle pat. "You're all set." he said softly. 

Yohji grinned and stretched his arm out. "Good as new! Domo!" 

Aya made a small noise of acknowledgement and sat back against the headboard, eyes distant. 

"Hey, you're not still worried, are you?" the darker haired man asked as he sat down next to him.

"We should have stayed in Tokyo." Aya said raggedly. 

"Nah... Think about what this money could do for Aya-chan, ne?"

"You can't be replaced by twenty-million dollars, Yotan." 

"I'm not going to have to be replaced."

Aya let his head fall to Yohji's shoulder. "No, you won't." 

Yohji smiled as he put his arm around his friend and hugged him. "No one's going to die out here, Ayan. Don't worry."

"Promise...you won't leave me behind..." Aya murmured, not realizing he'd said it aloud. 

"I won't leave you behind."

Aya smiled and let himself fall asleep against his companion. Yohji kept his word, no matter what. 

Schuldig stirred from where he had fallen asleep next to where he had fallen sleep next to Brad. His golden eyes fluttered open. "Brad?" he mumbled.

The American woke at the sound of his name and found that he was shivering uncontrollably. "Yeah?" he murmured back. 

"You okay?"

Brad cursed mentally as the chattering of his teeth caused him to bite his tongue.

"I'm just cold." 

"You sure? You're shields seem weaker."

Brad shrugged. "Headache... Did you need something?" 

The German shook his head as he looked away. /I'm just worried about you./

/I'm all right.../ Brad said, trying to huddle under the covers. He was so cold....

/Please don't lie.../

/I'm just cold.../ or so he thought. He realized in the next instant he was going to be sick. He threw the covers back and stumbled for the bathroom. 

Schuldig's eyes followed him and he stood slowly. "Brad?"

Brad leaned his head against the cold porcelain of the toilet seat after his stomach returned to its normal place and out of his throat. This wasn't good. 

Schuldig's cool hand pressed against the American's warm forehead. /We can't just sit around here and wait./

/What can we do?/

/I can do something. You just hang tight./

Brad grabbed his wrist. /Where are you going?/ he demanded. 

/To find you some help,/ the telepath responded, pulling his wrist free.

The American found his words stuck in his brain, unable to get them out, unable to ask the German not to leave him, and by the time he could control his thought process Schuldig was gone. 

The telepath walked down the hallway at a decent speed. He would not let Brad die. He'd give up his own life before he'd let the American give his.

/Nagi!/ Brad rasped into the younger boy's mind. /Nagi, get after Schuldig!/

/What?/

/GO!!/ The clairvoyant bellowed. 

Nagi was nearly blown over by the mental shout. "Something's wrong," he mumbled to Omi, and disappeared into to hallway.


	7. Russian Roulette, Anyone?

Author's notes: Hey, I'm on a roll… let's see how long I can keep this up…Also, I've changed the mental speaking in this chapter from being between /……/ to italics, and hopefully it'll work. Enjoy. 

**Chapter Seven: Russian Roulette, Anyone? **

Omi looked at Ken, who had fallen asleep, before dashing out into the hallway behind the Schwartz boy. "What happened?" he called.

"I'm not sure," Nagi managed. "Brad said something about catching Schuldig.... This can't be good."

Omi shouldered his coat and put on his gloves as they quickly walked. "You mind if I back you up?" 

Omi shouldered his coat and put on his gloves as they quickly walked. "You mind if I back you up?"

"I'd be thankful," the telekinetic boy responded.

Omi smiled. "All right. You have any idea where he'd go?" 

"I should be able to track him through the link Schwarz has set up." 

"Okay. Be careful." 

Nagi nodded and they headed off.   
  
  


Schuldig felt a familiar presence behind him as he exited the hotel room and he turned. "What do you want, Adrian?" he growled.

"Don't do this. You'll only make things worse." The Asians man said quietly. 

The German's eyes narrowed. "I will _not_ sit around and wait for him to die."

"Sacrificing yourself won't save him. You tell him over and over where he goes you'll follow, but he'll do the same for you." Adrian said dangerously. 

"I'm not as horrible at fighting as you seem to think. I can hold my own."

"I've seen the outcome of this. He needs you with him, not off trying to do this alone." 

"You've manipulated outcomes before to get what you want, Adrian."

"I have nothing to do with this outcome. I have my own losses to consider." 

"Then why even bother trying to stop me?"

"Because I care about you, and more than that, Brad cares about you. He'll die even faster if you get yourself killed." 

"Then I won't die."

"Fine. Then go. Get out of here." 

The German nodded and did just that, leaving Adrian standing alone until Nagi and Omi rounded the corner.

"Did Schu come by here?" the younger Japanese boy asked.

"He went that way." Adrian said flatly, pointing. "I hope you can knock some sense into him, Nagi. Drag him back if you've got to. If you can't stop him, he won't be coming back." 

"Why didn't you stop him?" the boy demanded, sounding more frightened than angry.

"I couldn't. You're wasting time. Go." 

The teen nodded and dashed off, Omi following.

Adrian crossed his arms. He saw fate, but he could not control all of it. And no matter what, Julia always came first. He left the hotel lobby silently, nobody seeing him go. 

"What's going to happen to him?" Omi asked quietly as the two Japanese teens ran down the streets.

"I'm not sure." Nagi said, eyes searching the streets frantically. "He's trying to scramble the link, I'm having a hard time locating him." 

A couple blocks over, Schuldig found what he was looking for. It was faint, but he knew she was there, even if she was covering up her presence. "Why don't you stop hiding and come on out, Kuroyuri?" he called.

"Well this is new. It isn't often that the prey comes to the hunter. You have a death wish, Schuldig?" 

"I'd rather kill you so that my best friend can live."

She lifted a slender eyebrow. "You can't kill me." 

"It's not very smart to underestimate one of the most powerful telepaths that ever went through Rosenkreuz."

"You flatter yourself too much. I can kill with a thought. You'd be dead before you got within five feet of me." 

Schuldig closed his eyes and he heard her gasp slightly. "So can I."

"Surprise, surprise. You fight back not for yourself, but for him. Interesting." She shoved him back, across the street with a mental force. "I will not die by the likes of you."

"That's where you're wrong," Schuldig growled out, shooting his own attack back.

Kuroyuri blocked it, light forming in her palms. "You're a cheeky bastard, aren't you? I bet Geheim got a kick out of you."

The telepath glared. "Why don't you take a trip to hell and ask him?"

She laughed at him. "Even now you fear him and what he could do. You're a coward. If it hadn't been for that worthless American you'd still be cowering in some lower part of Rosenkreuz." 

"And if it weren't for your cowardly boss, you probably would too. At least Brad has enough guts to show his face to his enemy."

"Please. Geheim would have been no challenge for me. There's one difference in your relation ship with Bradley Crawford and my relationship with Daniel. I love him, but I don't need him. You're dependant." 

"_Shut up and die_!" Schuldig screamed as he increased his attack on the girl.

Their attacks met in the middle and struggled against each other. "I will never die!" she snarled, putting more force behind her attack. 

He increased his as well. "Get use to the idea. Everyone does."

"Mortals do, yes." She smiled coyly and continued forcing him back.   
 Schuldig hit a building's side and cringed. 

"You are no match for me." Kuroyuri said quietly. "Leave now and I'll spare your life. Fight me again, and you'll have hell to pay." 

"I'd go through hell for him."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't care. I really don't. I don't care if you love him or hate him. Your words mean nothing to me." 

_Just keep talking, wench_, he thought to himself. _Just keep talking and let me get a little deeper into that skull of yours and do some real damage..._.

_Don't think I can't feel that, idiot. Don't worry; I'll make sure he dies slowly_.

And with that, she vanished, his hold on her slipping away. 

Schuldig fell forward onto the hard ground. "Damn it...."

"There he is!" Omi exclaimed from down the street. The two teen boys looked up just in time to see a white sphere barreling at the downed German.

"Schuldig!" Nagi exclaimed. He jerked out his hand and willed the telepath's body to move.

The German felt it happen and looked up. "Hey, chibi..."

Nagi pulled him swiftly away with his gift, and the sphere slammed into the building, leaving a considerable hole. The teen glared at Schuldig. "Don't you 'hey' me, Schuldig." 

The telepath gave him a slightly unnerving smile. "What would you have me say, kiddo?"

"You just ran off and left him!" Nagi shouted. "Are you out of your mind?" 

"Probably, but that's not why I did it."

"Then why?" he demanded. 

"Because I couldn't just sit there and wait for him to die."

"That's why we were going to attack as a team." Nagi said flatly. "Together. A team. He's my friend too." 

"He's everything to me, Nagi," Schuldig said firmly as he forced his tired body to his feet. 

"And that makes him nothing to everybody else?" Nagi challenged.

"Wouldn't you have done something by now if he meant more?" Schuldig growled out, knowing the effect it would have, but not really caring.

"Go to hell, Schuldig." Nagi ground out. "God knows you deserve to be there." He turned and started walking away. 

"I know," the telepath whispered as he felt his shields crack from the earlier pressure they had been under and his knees gave way under him.

And Nagi kept walking. 

Omi stood there, totally unsure of what to do. "Where are you going?" he called to the telekinetic.

"Where do you think? Back to the hotel."

"What about Schuldig?" 

"What about him?"

"Well other than the fact he passed out..." 

Nagi turned a cold eye back to the telepath. "It's not my problem. He wanted to run out here by himself, let him get back by himself." That said, he turned and continued back to the hotel.

Omi threw up his hands. "No wonder Schwartz had more medical bills than us." he muttered. He sighed, knowing his good conscious wouldn't let him just leave the telepath on the ground. 

He bent down next to the telepath, touching him lightly on the shoulder. He knew he wouldn't be able to get him all the way back to the hotel like this.

"Schuldig?"

The German stirred.

"Time to go, Schuldig." Omi said, hoping to get him more awake. 

Two golden eyes fluttered open. _Did the chibi leave_? he questioned, not having the energy to speak out loud.

_Yes. I don't think I've ever seen him that angry_.

The German pushed himself to his knees and then to his feet and began walking slowly in the direction Nagi had just left in.

Omi followed, just to make sure he didn't fall over again. 

Nagi walked into the room where he knew Crawford was and knocked quietly, then peeked his head in. "How are you feeling?"

Brad smiled for him. "I've been better, but it's all right. You okay?" 

"Hai," the teen replied stiffly.

"You're lying, Nagi. Did you find Schuldig?" 

"Hai." No need in going into detail. He didn't want to anyway.

"Is he all right?" The teenager wasn't telling him something. 

"I don't know."

"What happened?" 

"He tried to take on Kuroyuri! By himself... I swear I don't get it sometimes. Why couldn't he have just waited for the rest of us? We're worried too..."

Brad shut his eyes. That's what he'd been afraid the telepath would do. He reopened his eyes and gently cuffed the side of Nagi's face. "I know. It'll be okay. Schuldig's just...impatient..." 

"And it almost got him killed..."

"I'm sorry."

The door opened suddenly and the redheaded telepath walked in. He said nothing as he walked over to his bed and flopped down on it.

Anger flared within Nagi as he saw the German. Brad raised an eyebrow as he could see the aura grow around him. "Nagi..." he said cautiously. 

"Let the kid speak his mind. I don't care," Schuldig said as he lifted his head up slightly so his golden orbs met dark blue.

"You are the most selfish, self-centered bastard I've ever met." Nagi said calmly. "The whole damn world doesn't revolve around you. I hope you learn that before you run out of time." He turned to Brad. "I'll be in my room if you need me." 

After the boy left, Schuldig watched the door for a moment, and then buried his face in his pillow. "This sucks," he said simply.

Brad blinked. "I don't think I've ever heard him say that much before."

Schuldig grunted a response as he curled up more. 

"I appreciate your loyalty, Schuldig, but I'd rather have you alive." Brad said quietly. 

"I'd like you to live this through, thanks."

"And getting yourself killed is going to accomplish this?" 

"I wasn't going to get myself killed. I almost had her."

"I saw differently." 

"I can't just sit here and wait around for you to drop on us, Brad," the German hissed as he glared at his friend, but then turned so that his back was to him.

Brad pulled out his gun and emptied the chambers of all the bullets but one. "You ever play Russian roulette?" he asked, spinning the chamber. 

"It you use to be a favorite game of mine when I was little. I learned to hate the thing called fate through it."

Brad rolled his eyes. He slammed the chamber into place and cocked it. He placed it to his temple. "What are the odds?" 

"You're the precog," Schuldig said testily. "And not as stupid as I am."

Brad pulled the trigger. 

The sound that the gun made told Schuldig it was an empty chamber. It did cause him to sit up. "Don't."

"One down. Seven to go. I'll reach it eventually." He pulled the trigger again. 

"Quit it, Brad," the German said again as he reached a hand toward the gun.

He backed away. "Why?" He pulled it again. "Four left. You're not the only one who can be unreasonable, Schuldig." 

"Yes I am, damn it! I claimed that position among our team years ago," he yelled, yanking the gun away.

Brad tackled him and fought him for the gun. "Then I'm taking it from you!" he growled. 

"You don't want it. And I won't give it to you. You're the sane one, remember?"

"I'm a desperate man, Schuldig! Give me the gun!" 

"I'm desperate too!" the telepath yelled back, tears beginning to stream down his face for the first time in years.

As they struggled, the gun went off, the bullet ripping through the far wall. They both fell still, Schuldig pinned beneath the American. Silence purveyed. 

"I _won't_ loose you."

Brad paused momentarily. "How much do you think they'll charge us for the wall?" 

"I don't know... "

Brad sat back and cupped the side of Schuldig's face with one hand. "You won't loose me, but for heaven's sake, use your brain before you try to be a hero." 

"I wasn't trying to be a hero, Brad. I was just trying to get something done."

Brad stood and walked towards the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower." He said tiredly. There was no point in belaboring the point with Schuldig. What he had been done had been right in his own mind, and there was no changing that. 

Schuldig nodded as he curled up on Brad's bed, feeling completely drained. 

Omi walked down the hallway to see Nagi by their door. "Everything all right? I thought I heard gunfire..." 

Nagi nodded. "They're all right." 

"Are you all right?" Omi asked. 

Nagi nodded. "Schuldig's loosing it."

Omi pulled out his key and slid it through the scanner. "Once we get Sushiko and the girl out of the way, he'll be all right though, won't he?" 

"I think so. But I just hope we can do that."

"I'm sure..." Omi trailed off as he stepped into their room. Nothing was out of place, in fact, just the opposite. The whole room was immaculate. The beds had been made and the bathroom straightened up. "Something's wrong..." 

"It's room service," Nagi said as he glanced around with a raised eyebrow.

"No..." The pieces fell into place. "Where's Ken?" he breathed. 

"I don't know... Maybe he went out? "

Panic rose with in Omi's chest. "I don't...I can feel it.... he's not here..." He turned and fled the room, banging on Aya and Yohji's door. 

"What's up?" Yohji's voice answered from inside.

"Do you know where Ken is?" Omi called, trying not to sound desperate. 

"Haven't seen him." Yohji stuck his head out the door. "He probably went down the grab a bite to eat or something."

"I'll check." Omi said, jogging towards the elevator. 

"She's here!" Schuldig's voice rang through the hallway. 

Yohji opened the door the rest of the way and felt Aya's hand on his arm a moment later. "I'd get your sword." Yohji murmured back to him.

Farfarello appeared in the hallway, followed by Julia. Yohji and Aya joined them a moment later, preparing to face the death-wielding girl once again. 


	8. Kidnapped!

**Author's Notes: Gomen!!! I know it's been forever since the last update, and I say that every time I post a chapter…^_^;;; And, don't lynch me, this is the shortest chapter ever, I promise I won't make another short one like it. Unfortunately, I edited chapter nine before I did eight, so the latter part of eight got knocked into the first part of nine. If you followed that, bravo for you. :D I will work hard to get the rest of it edited,  be assured that I have not forgotten it. Thanks for the continued reading and reviews!! It keeps it alive, it really does. Enjoy! **

**Chapter Eight: Kidnapped! **

"Brilliant, Sherlock." Kuroyuri stated flatly.

Schuldig glared toward where she was.

"I'm not dealing with you again tonight." She said in his direction. She turned her attention to Omi. "You don't have to worry about your little friend. I'm taking good care of him, seeing as you've been to busy playing with your new friend." She said, indicating Nagi. "I kind of like him. A klutz, but very attractive."

Omi's eyes widened. "What did you do with Ken-kun?!" he demanded.

"Nothing, yet. Strangely, he came almost willingly." Kuroyuri said, pretending to muse about it.

"Liar! Bring him back!" Omi demanded.

"He hasn't gone anywhere, have you, darling?" Kuroyuri asked, turning to 

look behind her. 

            Ken stepped forward, his eyes blank but a smile on his face. 

            "Ken-kun!" Omi called. 

            Ken tilted his head. "Omi." He replied quietly. 

             Nagi placed a hand on his elder friend's shoulder. "Something's wrong with him."

"There's nothing wrong with me. Is there something wrong with you?" Ken asked the Schwarz boy. His tone was completely flat. 

"Absolutely nothing, but I am certainly not blind to that girl's tricks.":

"At any rate," Kuroyuri said, sounding bored. "Since you don't need him anymore, I'll be taking him with me." 

"Who says I don't need him?" Omi asked, voice sounding frightened.

"Well....I do. And actions speak louder than words, which means you do too. Ja." Kuroyuri and Ken vanished. 

Omi began to shake as he stared at where the other boy had disappeared. "KEN-KUN!"

Aya instantly shut his eyes and extended his heart call, looking for the second youngest member of Weiß. As he connected, a wall seemed to be thrown into place, and he was physically thrown backwards. 

Yohji caught him and they both fell back, Yohji into the wall, and Aya into Yohji. 

"Apparently they know what I can do." Aya mumbled. 

"Ya think?" 

"Sorry…"  Aya said off handedly. He took a few steps away from Yohji and set his mouth in a thin line. No one took one of his team members without answering for it. He would be dead before someone else used Ken to their own means. Kuroyuri would pay dearly for this. 

Omi's shoulders shook as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He should have seen this coming, should have seen that he hadn't been paying attention to Ken since they got to Cairo…should have done something…

"Oh, Ken…" He whispered. 

Nagi squeezed his shoulder gently. No matter what Schuldig thought at the moment, they were all a team, all eight of them. The only way to survive this would be to fight together, whether the German man liked it or not. 

"Daijoubu, Omi. We'll find him." He said, trying to reassure him. It wasn't going to be easy, that was for sure. But they had to try. 


	9. Indications of Illness

**Chapter Nine: Indications of Illness **            

Brad came into the hall, pulling a shirt over his head. "What in the world is going on out here?" 

            "Kuroyuri took a kitten," Schuldig answered.

            "Killed or kidnapped?" Brad asked, frowning, noticing that Hidika was gone and Omi was close to tears. 

            "Kidnapped." 

            The American glanced around, noticing Yohji's bandaged arm and the fact that the younger man was looking a little grey. _He was hit too, _Brad realized. _Damn. _"Was she angry?" he asked aloud. 

            "More playful." Nagi answered. 

            "Then we have time. Sushiko knows that Julia, Yohji and I are weakened, and everyone else is tired. He's letting her do what she wants. He's playing with us, and that will make him careless." Brad said half to himself, half to the group, his leader instincts kicking in. 

            A grin spread across Schuldig's features. "So we're going to do something?" 

            Julia rubbed her arms to try to warm herself up. "I think we should wait until morning. She's not going to kill Ken, I can tell that much. None of us will be any good to him exhausted." She said softly. 

            The German man's shoulder's fell. 

            "Schuldig, we'll get them. You can't always rush headlong into things." 

            "I'll rush headlong when I damn well please." 

            Julia glared at him. "He's not dead. Quit acting like he is." 

            The telepath cocked an eyebrow. "'Scuse me?" 

            "You're acting reckless, like Brad is already dead. So quit acting like it." She snapped. 

            He glared, but gave a quick glance back at the clairvoyant to see his reaction. 

            "She's right. We won't accomplish anything by going off exhausted." He said quietly. 

            Yohji lightly ruffled Omi's hair. "Don't worry, Omitichi. We'll get him back." 

            "It's my fault," Omi mumbled. "If I had watched closer…" 

            "Hey, none of this is anyone's fault. It's our job, Omitichi. But we never leave our own behind, you know that." 

            Omi nodded. "Hai, we'll get Ken-kun back!" he replied, determination sparking in his big blue eyes. 

            Nagi placed a hand on his shoulder. "And we're with you, so with all of us, we'll get your friend back in no time, Omi-kun." 

            "Everyone should get to bed." Brad said tiredly. "The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we'll be off tomorrow." 

            Everyone nodded and headed in separate directions. 

            Aya entered the room he shared with Yohji first, and Yohji slumped against the door after he shut it behind them. His normally tan features were pale. 

            "Long night," He murmured. 

            "No kidding…" 

            The brunette forced his way into the bathroom so he could clean up the mess he'd left. He folded the bloodstained washcloth so the blood wouldn't show and clucked despairingly at his ruined coat and shirt. He pitched them in the trashcan before sitting heavily on the side of the bathtub, breathing hard. 

            "Yotan? Daijoubu?" 

            Yohji started to reply, but coughed suddenly, blood splattering his lips and the inside of his hand. He cursed lowly.

            "Yohji!" Aya exclaimed, moving to his side. 

            Red droplets hit the floor as the green-eyed assassin leaned forward and he cursed again. 

            "Yohji, you're not all right. You're coughing up blood." Aya said as he steadied his friend. 

            Yohji shut his eye and fought back a wave of nausea. "Ayan…" 

            "I'm right here." Aya searched his mind for something to do. Anything. _Adrian-san? Julia-san? _He called out desperately, not even sure if it was possible for them to pick up on his frantic thoughts at the moment. 

            Yohji gripped his arm. "Don't." He rasped. "Adrian's gone, and there's nothing Julia can do." 

            "There got to be something someone can do." 

            "Julia said she didn't know if I got the four days 'cause of being hit in the arm or just the symptoms. Ain't gonna know anything until…" 

            Aya shook his head. "You'll be fine. You have to be." There was no room for argument in the redhead's voice. 

            Yohji wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand before placing a chaste kiss on Aya's forehead. "Ah. I'll be fine." 

            Schuldig turned over in the darkness for the umpteenth time in the past fifteen minutes. His body and mind were restless. It also seemed that every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Crawford, still and cold, lying in that alley when he thought he was gone for good. The image continued to haunt him as if reminding him if they couldn't reverse the attack that Crawford, his Brad, would die and there was nothing he could do to stop that. He turned again, peering toward Brad's bed, not really able to see him in the darkness. 

            _Can't sleep, huh? _Brad called softly. He hadn't been able to sleep either, not that he was moving much. Every time he tried to roll over a pain flared in his side, so he'd settled for watching his partner. He ached for Schuldig, because he knew how devastated he would be if anything happened to the German. He sighed almost inaudibly. 

            _Nein_. Schuldig responded. 

            _I'm sorry._

            _Why? Not your fault…_Schuldig turned onto his back. 

            _Isn't it? _

"Why would my being unable to sleep be your fault, Braddy?" Schuldig whispered, smirking into the darkness. 

            "Because you'd be asleep and snoring if I wasn't going to die in three days, Schu." Brad replied quietly. 

            "Doesn't mean that it's your fault." 

            "Fine, fine." 

            "So why aren't you sleeping?" Schuldig whispered, sitting up. 

            "It hurts to move." 

            Brad heard the German shift, stand, and pad over to his bedside. Schuldig knelt down and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You use to always take pain from me when we were younger," He whispered. "Let me help you how I can, ne?" 

            _I never wanted to hurt you…_

Schuldig smiled, feeling the slightest of pain entering his own body. _Just don't die, ne? That'll hurt me worse than anything. _

            Sleep was obscuring Brad's senses quickly. _Schu…_

_            Hmm?_

_            Danke…_He breathed before sleep overcame him. 

            _Bita, Brad, _Schuldig whispered. _Anything for you. _He laid his head down next to where he was clutching the elder man's hand and slept. 

            Julia stood at her window, a light breeze billowing around her. Adrian wasn't coming back. At least not that night. Or from what she could sense, the next. It didn't feel like betrayal… their link wasn't completely cut. It was severed, though, just enough to make her heart ache. He green eyes coolly surveyed the skyline outside her window. Bonds were shifting and quickly. Hers was broken. Brad and Schuldig…well…she could hardly be surprised at its strength. She almost believed it had been formed before they were born. Aya and Yohji's bond was strengthening. It might be enough. The bond between Omi and Ken was broken, but there was one forming between the youngest of Weiss and the youngest of Schwartz. She closed her eyes and a light gently flowed over her. 

            The morning's light crept into the different bedrooms of Weiss and Schwartz, without being welcomed. Schuldig stirred and his golden eyes fluttered open. Brad's hand was still clasped in his as the American slept on, his black hair tousled. He sighed softly in his sleep, but made no move to wake up. Schuldig placed a pale hand against Brad's cheek, checking for any unwelcome fever that the earlier attack might leave him with. Brad's eyes fluttered open. 

            "Ohayo gozimasu." Schuldig greeted. 

            _Morning, _Brad murmured. 

            Schuldig stretched and popped his neck loudly. "How ya feeling this morning?" 

            "Normal… I owe you." 

            "Nah. I've owed you for a long time, Brad. That was just an attempt at paying some of it back." 

            Brad reached out and ran a hand through the German's hair. _I think we can call it even._

            Schuldig stood and stretched again. "I'm gonna hit the shower before we get going." He looked back at Brad. "What do you see in store for us?" 

            _We aren't going to get Hidika back, _Brad said quietly. _Not today._

            Schuldig nodded and stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. 

  


End file.
